Romanian electricity distributor Transelectrica issues 10 mln green certificates for renewable energy producers in 2013

Romanian state – owned electricity distribution company Transelectrica issued 10.1 million green certificates last year to renewable energy producers. Half of these were already traded on the power exchange market OPCPOM, which has a special platform for trading green certificates. All renewable energy producers in Romania receive green certificates, which represent a form of subvention by the state, and which are paid for by all electricity consumers, including individuals. This is highlighted separately on the monthly electricity bills. Romania has increased energy from renewables 6.1 percent from 2004 to 2012, and now draws almost 23 percent of power from green sources – well above the European average. In 2012, 22.9 percent of gross energy consumption was from renewable sources, such as wind farms and solar projects, up from 16.8 in 2004. The country’s target is to have 24 percent of energy from renewable by 2020. Energy consumers in Romania paid EUR 415.8 million to support renewable energy through the green certificates system in 2013, up 33.4 percent increase compared to the level of EUR 310.8 million in 2012, according to the data from the energy authority, quoted by local Ziarul Financiar. However, the average price of a green certificate dropped by a quarter, from EUR 56 in 2012, to EUR 42 last year. In 2013, the Romanian Government approved a piece of legislation on cutting the incentives to renewable energy producers. The Government decided to postpone granting a part of the green certificates to investors in small hydropower plants, wind farms and solar power plants, starting July 1, 2013. This measure will be valid until March 2017 in the case of hydropower and solar power plants and until 2018 for wind farms. New wind installations will only get one green certificate instead of two certificates currently awarded, small hydro power plants one instead of three and solar projects two instead of six. More on the recent green certificates issues, here. editor@romania-insider.com